According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a composition for mixing oil and water to form a solution, the composition including an esterified glycol mono alkyl ether in admixture with a non-aqueous base liquid.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a composition for mixing oil and water to form a solution, the composition including an esterified glycol mono alkyl ether in admixture with a non-aqueous base liquid which includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an oil-soluble grade of alcohol ethoxylate, a diethanolamide of a higher fatty acid, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether, and a nonionic ethoxylated sorbitan ester.
In this specification, the term"solution"is meant to include a mixture which is clear, homogenous and substantially stable, and by"a composition for mixing oil and water to form a solution"is meant a composition which assists or facilitates the formation of a solution when water and oil are mixed.
The esterified glycol mono alkyl ether may be present in the composition in a concentration of from 5,1 % to 6,9% by mass, more preferably in a concentration of from 5,5% to 6,5% by mass, and most preferably, in a concentration of from 5,7% to 6,3% by mass.
Unless otherwise indicated, all concentrations are given on a percentage by mass (mass %) basis.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the esterified glycol mono alkyl ether is propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (C6H, 203).
The non-aqueous base liquid may include an oil-soluble grade of alcohol ethoxylate having a hydroxyl number greater than 160 and a melting point below-15°C. The alcohol ethoxylate may have a hydrophile-lipophile balance value (HLB value) of less than 9.
The alcohol ethoxylate may be present in the composition in a concentration of from 39% to 63% by mass, more preferably in a concentration of from 43% to 60% by mass. Most preferably, the alcohol ethoxylate is present in the composition in a concentration of from 47% to 56% by mass, e. g.
52,1 % by mass and has a hydrophile-lipophile balance value between 7,7 and 8,3.
The alcohol ethoxylate is preferably in the form of a mixture of ethoxylates based on Cg and Cl, alcohols. The mixture of ethoxylates may also include ethoxylates of alcools having chains of even numbers of carbon atoms.
Examples of suitable alcohol ethoxylate mixtures are Kemelix 7145X (Trademark) available in the United Kingdom from ICI Chemicals Ltd, The Heath, Runcom, Cheshire, WAT40F, United Kingdom, Neodol 91/2.5E (Trademark), available in South Africa from Shell SA (Pty) Limited, Chemical Division, Rocks Road, Reunion, Durban, and Lutensol ON30 (Trademark), available in South Africa from BASF (Pty) Limited, 6 Carlisle Street, Paardeneiland, Cape Province.
The non-aqueous base liquid may incluse a diethanolamide of at least one higher fatty acid. The higher fatty acids mentioned with reference to the diethanolamide or diethanolamides include conventional emulsifier-forming acids.
The diethanolamide may be present if the composition in a concentration of from 7% to 24% by mass, preferably, in a concentration of from 10% to 21 % by mass, and more preferably in a concentration of from 12% to 18% by mass, e. g. 15,3% by mass.
The diethanolamide may be selected from the group consisting of lauric diethanolamide, oleic diethanolamide, and mixtures thereof. Typically, equal portions of lauric and oleic diethanolamides are present in the composition.
The non-aqueous base liquid may include ethylene glycol monobutyl ether or ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether as a surfactant. The ethylene glycol monobutyl ether or ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, as the case may be, may be present in the composition in a concentration of from 1,2% to 1,8% by mass, more preferably in a concentration of from 1,3% to 1,7% by mass, and most preferably in a concentration of from 1,4% to 1,6% by mass, e. g. 1,5%.
The non-aqueous base liquid may include a nonionic ethoxylated sorbitan ester.
The sorbitan ester may be present in the composition in a concentration of from 2% to 48% by mass, more preferably in a concentration of from 13% to 37% by mass, and most preferably in a concentration of from 19% to 31% by mass, e. g. 25,2% by mass. The sorbitan ester may have a hydrophile-lipophile balance value between 16,4 and 16,7.
An example of a suitable nonionic-ethoxylated sorbitan ester is Polysorbate 20 (Trademark), which is available in South Africa from Croda Chemicals (SA) (Pty) Limited of 4 Lovora Street, Jetpark.
The composition of the invention is particularly, though not necessarily exclusively suitable for mixing fuel oils and water to form a solution. Even more particularly, the composition is suitable for mixing crude oil including its refined oils and petroleum products with water and diesel fuel oil and water, to form a solution. The composition may thus be used as an additive to diesel fuel oil.
The invention extends to a solution of an oil and water, which includes a composition as hereinbefore described.
The oil may be a fuel oil and the solution may include a fuel extender. The fuel extender may be selected from the group consisting of crude oil including its refined oils and petroleum products, an alcohol, such as ethanol, tallow, butter, vegetable oil, and mixtures thereof. The fuel extender may be present in the solution in a concentration of up to about 10%.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming a solution of oil and water, the method including adding and mixing a composition as hereinbefore described, oil and water together, the composition being added in an amount sufficient to provide a clear solution on mixing.
An appropriate quantity of the composition of the invention to be added to a water and oil mixture comprising a few (e. g. 2 to 10) volumetric parts water per 100 volumetric parts oil is typically between about 10 and 25 volumetric parts composition per 100 volumetric parts of water and oil mixture.
The addition of too low a quantity of composition to the oil and water is to be avoided as it will result in an emulsion being formed instead of a solution.
Examples of suitable volumetric ratios of the composition, diesel oil and water added together are 10: 116: 2,15: 116: 5 and 25: 116: 10.
Thus, the volumetric ratio of the composition to the combined oil and water may be between 8: 100 and 20: 100 and the volumetric ratio of the water to the oil may be between 1: 100 and 10: 100. Preferably, the volumetric ratio of the composition to the combined oil and water is between 12,3: 100 and 19,8: 100 and the volumetric ratio of the water to the oil is between 1,7: 100 and 8,6: 100.
The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting examples: EXAMPLE 1 A composition comprising Kemelix 7145X (52.07%), lauric diethanolamide (7.64%), oleic diethanolamide (7.64%), propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (6.00%), ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (1.50%) and Polysorbate 20 (25.15%) was prepared.
2ml of water were added to 100g of diesel fuel oil. Under stirring with a high speed stirrer, 1 Oml of the composition as prepared were added to the water and diesel fuel oil. The result was a clear and stable solution showing now sign of breaking down after an extended period of time and at a temperature ranging between-3°C and +50°C. Thus, the oil and water mixture incorporating the composition of the invention formed a clear homogenous solution showing no signs of separation or instability.
EXAMPLE 2
5mi of water were added to 100g of diesel fuel oil. Under stirring with a high speed stirrer, 15ml of the composition as prepared for Example 1, were added to the water and diesel fuel oil. The result was a clear and stable solution showing no sign of breaking down after an extend period of time and at a temperature ranging between-3°C and +50°C. Thus, the oil and water mixture incorporating the composition of the invention formed a clear homogenous solution showing no signs of separation or instability.
EXAMPLE 3 1 Oml of water were added to 1 OOg of diesel fuel oil. Under stirring with a high speed stirrer, 25ml of the composition as prepared for Example 1 were added to the water and diesel fuel oil. The result was a clear and stable solution showing no signs of breaking down after an extended period of time and at a temperature ranging between-3°C and +50°C. Thus, the oil and water mixture incorporating the composition of the invention formed a clear homogenous solution showing no signs of separation or instability.
The Applicant expects that a fuel which includes the composition of the invention, as exemplified, will have an improved performance, will lead to a lower fuel consumption, and will have a cleaning effect on an engine. It is also an advantage of the composition, as exemplified, that it has a neutral effect on the octane and cetane ratings of diesel. The Applicant further expects a fuel which includes the composition of the invention, as exemplified, to have improved atomization properties, to burn more completely and cleanly and to have an improved flowability through pipelines.
It is a further advantage of the composition of the invention, as exemplified, that it allows or assists in the formation of a stable solution of water and oil, which shows no sign of breaking down after an extended period of time.